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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #218984
Title: Nutritional and Immunological Status and Burden of Infection in Elderly Ecuadorian

Author
item HAMER, DAVIDSON - TUFTS HNRCA & BOST UNIV
item SEMPERTEGUI, FERNANDO - ECUAT. DE BIO, ECUADOR
item ESTRELLA, BERTHA - ECUAT. DE BIO, ECUADOR
item Tucker, Katherine
item RODRIGUEZ, ALICIA - ECUAT. DE BIO, ECUADOR
item EGAS, JOSEFINA - ECUAT. DE BIO, ECUADOR
item Dallal, Gerald
item Selhub, Jacob
item Meydani, Simin

Submitted to: Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2007
Publication Date: 4/5/2008
Citation: Hamer, D., Sempertegui, F., Estrella, B., Tucker, K., Rodriguez, A., Egas, J., Dallal, G., Selhub, J., Meydani, S. 2008. Nutritional and Immunological Status and Burden of Infection in Elderly Ecuadorian. Experimental Biology. Abstract No. 450.5.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The number of the elderly in Latin America is expected to rise substantially. To define the prevalence of infections and micronutrient deficiencies, and immunological status, and to evaluate associations between nutritional status and infection, we performed a cross-sectional study of elderly Ecuadorians in a low-income peri-urban community in Quito, Ecuador. Anthropometric measurements, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin testing, and blood micronutrient and immunological assays were performed in 352 randomly selected Ecuadorians, aged greater or equal to 65 y. Relationships between micronutrients, immune function, and history of infection was assessed by multiple linear and logistic regression models. Participants recalled recent episodes of colds/influenza-like syndromes (63 percent), cough (61 percent), urinary tract infection (38 percent), diarrhea (32 percent), fever (24 percent), and pneumonia (3.5 percent). Anemia and micronutrient deficiencies, especially for vitamins C, D, B6, and B121, folic acid, and zinc were common. Plasma vitamin C was associated with IFN-gamma (P is less than 0.01); and zinc with IFN-gamma and IL-2 (each P is less than 0.0001). History of respiratory infection was associated with micronutrient deficiency (P is less than 0.0001).The burden of infection, micronutrient deficiencies, and anemia was substantial in elderly Ecuadorians and place them at risk for infections through their negative impact on immune function.